


Reno's Mancrush

by Fangirl_Shenanigans



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII
Genre: AU, Al Bhed Descendant!Cid, Gen, Genesis gets knocked down a peg, Kain Highwind Descendant!Cid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 03:26:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6406771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_Shenanigans/pseuds/Fangirl_Shenanigans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While watching a blond cadet take down Rude and Genesis as well as make Reno do manual labor, Reno may have developed a small crush on Cid Highwind.</p>
<p>No actual shippyness this time though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reno's Mancrush

**Author's Note:**

> This was written purely for my own satisfaction but I hope others will enjoy it at least a little.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII (7) that is the due of Square Enix and character designer Tetsuya Nomura. I am simply commandeering the characters and world for the purpose of pure non-profit entertainment for myself and any who deign to read my work.**

**Historian’s Note: This story takes place sometime several years prior to Before Crisis and Crisis Core. There will of course be multiple discrepancies as most stories are tailored how the writer wants them.**

**Author Notes: This story follows a similar premise to another story I started called The Bridges we Build, also a FFVII Cid-centric story. You do not have to read The Bridges we Build to understand this story or enjoy it. In this story Genesis is the one who trains the cadets in combat instead of Sephiroth and Angeal (they do so in my other story). For those who haven’t read that story, I follow the head canons that the world of FFIV leads to Zanarkand which led to Spira and then Gaia. I also establish Cid and the ShinRa as being descended of the Al Bhed, but Cid is also a descendant of Kain Highwind. If any of this bothers you please be kind and respect it is how I chose to view the character.**

* * *

 

Reno could hardly believe what he was seeing. Some punk-ass cadet had just successfully knocked Rude flat on his ass using nothing but a mop. Said cadet was the same brat that had the higher-ups griping about misplaced talents. The redhead had eventually done some personnel research on the blond.

 

Name: Highwind, Cidolfus Kain

Age: 19

Height: 5’10

Hair: Blond

Eyes: Blue

Blood: B

Technical & Mechanical Engineering/Aviation Program

Intelligence: 8

Stamina: 8

Strength: 8

Agility: 9

Flexibility: 10

Combat: 5

Dexterity: 10

 

What got Reno was how a guy not much older than he was had all these great statistics but only had a 5 in combat training courses. How did anyone barely passing that course just whoop his partner with a mop?

 

Though oddly, Rude looked more approving than bothered by the trainee. If Reno was hearing right, Rude was asking for the attacks. This warranted getting closer to find out the deal.

 

“Getting’ beat up by punks Rude?”

 

“Who the $#*& are you callin’ a punk?” The blond man retorted, blue eyes blazing with indignant anger. There was something mesmerizing about them, a small line branching off of the pupil that was just barely noticeable.

 

“I was asked by Veld to look into why Cadet Highwind had low marks in combat training. It turns out his instructor isn’t taking into account that he is left-handed. The course rules are essentially written for right-handed cadets and the instructor refuses to allow Highwind to do things with his left hand.” Rude spoke, interrupting the younger man before his temper ran away with him.

 

Reno processed this and frowned, trying to remember who taught the aviation cadets and then grimaced. They would have to speak to Director Lazard since he remembered their instructor was none other than Lieutenant Genesis Rhapsodos. Genesis was known for two things: Flirting unnecessarily with his students or picking on them to try toughening them up.

 

“What did you do to get on a SOLDIER’s bad side? You didn’t dis LOVELESS did you? That’d probably do it.”

 

“Why the blazes would I tarnish something I enjoy readin’? I don’t know what his problem is! Maybe he has a vendetta against Al Bhed or somethin’.” Cid was trying his best to calm down, but it was difficult when he was stressed and did not have ready access to smoking or tea. Either one would have been wonderful for his nerves about now.

 

As if he had been in the room the entire time, Genesis approached with a smile on his face that screamed of ‘I heard every word’.

 

“So, you are why my class is under investigation Highwind. I had wondered which straggler it would be.”

 

“I wouldn’t be stragglin’ if you’d actually let me use my damned good arm!” Cid was livid with the slightly younger male. As far as Cid was concerned you had to earn his respect, you couldn’t just demand it at the drop of a hat. Thus far most of the higher-ups had figured out that if you weren’t his direct supervisor or the president that he didn’t put up with shit from you unless ordered by said supervisor. Though there was another whole different reason that nobody tried shit with him if they could help it. Unbeknownst to many employees, it was this cadet who had designed and supervised the majority of all the helicopters among other innovations.

 

Genesis paused before spouting his reply. The auburn-haired man was actually confused. What did Highwind mean by this? The other man straggled because his reaction time was slower that the average cadets going into SOLDIER. Then he remembered a brief meeting he had had with Angeal and Director Kreston of Aviation.

 

_“Now, promise me lieutenant that you won’t needlessly ignore my cadet just because he isn’t going into SOLDIER. While he does have potential, he has opted for the Aviation Program and the engineering departments. It is in the company’s best interest that he is able to defend himself should anyone go after him.”_

 

_“If he isn’t going into SOLDIER, he isn’t worth my time. I may have to train the brat, but I don’t have to help him needlessly.” Genesis retorted._

 

_Angeal gave him a hard look before he interjected._

 

_“If you want to stay in my good graces Gen, you’ll at least try with him. This cadet is the one who designed the choppers and most of the air craft ShinRa owns. Just keep in mind that he’s left-handed, like Sephiroth. Don’t make him use his weaker hand or you’re setting him up for failure.”_

 

Genesis had completely forgotten that entire conversation once he’d met the other man. Highwind had immediately rubbed him the wrong way simply because he had apologized for knocking him down using the address of “ma’am”. Thinking on it, Genesis was wearing a costume at the time and did have a reputation as feminine faced. Then he noticed it. There was a slight tremble in the blond’s right arm, so minute an unenhanced human would likely never notice it. The muscles between his wrist and elbow twitched occasionally, as if making sure the nerves still worked.

 

“Very well Cadet Highwind. Show me what you can do with your left hand that you cannot do in a classroom using your right.” Genesis challenged, this time hoping to see if this southern-accented man could do any better with his dominant hand.

 

No one could say for sure how it happened, but after five minutes Genesis was both weaponless and pinned by the rules of engagement with trainees. The SOLDIER lay on the ground with the end of the mop poised just two centimeters from his throat, a knee on his abdomen, and a hand pressing against his head as if ready to pierce his throat. Eyes of blue skies gazed down into forget-me-nots. Genesis to say the least was shocked. Not only had a cadet pinned him, the same man had managed to disarm him in the same attack sequence. A swell of pride rushed through him.

 

“Very well done Highwind, you have proven that I have given you incorrect marks in combat training. Are you certain you don’t want to reconsider and join SOLDIER or the TURKs?”

 

“Hell no, I ain’t a warrior or a spy.” Cid grinned before letting the other man rise. “I’m an engineer and a pilot. My home is tinkerin’ with metal, yours is fightin’ with it.”

 

That day Reno had definitely grown to respect the man’s decision. Though he also quickly learned that if any of the choppers came back damaged the blond would be all over his case and force him to help repair the birds. Reno honestly thought he may have developed a crush on the first man to literally force him to do manual labor that day. Though it was obvious to him that while Cid didn’t realize it, he was totally in love with Shera since the first time she uttered a syllable near the man.

 

**The END**

**I hope that you enjoyed this story, if I can even call it that. More of a snippet I suppose, but I’m pretty pleased with it. I will probably wait until after the FFVII remake has been released in NA to revisit/rewrite The Bridges we Build (if I even bother with the remake so far all the news about it just pissing me off). This ficlet will not be changed but I would be happy to hear more prompt ideas for FFVII, FFXII, and KH.**


End file.
